Exciting News!

Details of my third teen book have just been announced! It’s called Summer Under the Stars and follows the stories of Hetal, Sasha, Cam and Nell from Summer of No Regrets.

The four friends drive across France in what should be the holiday of a lifetime. But Sasha’s struggling with her dad getting remarried; Cam is reeling from being rejected by her birth grandparents; Hetal’s terrified of letting everyone down; and Nell’s worried that while she’s away her relationship with Tom is falling apart. When things go wrong and emotions run high, will they have what it takes to rekindle their friendship?

They need to remember why they’re friends.

They need a road trip to end all road trips.

They need a summer under the stars.

It’s set in the summer after the Summer of No Regrets, and while it is a sequel, it can be read as a stand-alone.

To celebrate the new book, Summer of No Regrets is getting a whole new look!

After their exams, four best friends pledge to live a summer regret-free, doing what they want to do however much it scares them!

Sasha agrees to spend the holiday with her father in Geneva, having not seen him for six years, but is not expecting his new girlfriend, or the young man in the cafe.

Shy Hetal decide to go to science camp, and finds a new competitive spirit.

Nell get s a summer job, but after her accident her mother is scared to let her out of the house - so to do what she wants she will have to lie to her parents.

Cam goes to look for her birth father, scared of the future when she can no longer stay with her foster family. What will she find?

As all these choices become difficult, even dangerous, they will need to turn to each other for the strength to face the future.

Asking for a Friend

Shortlisted for the Redhill Academy Trust Book Award 2021

Shortlisted for the Oxfordshire Book Award 2021

Shortlisted for the Portsmouth Book Award 2021 (longer novel)

Longlisted for the Amazing Book Award 2021

Summer of No Regrets

Shortlisted for the Bristol Teen Book Award 2020

Longlisted for the Amazing Book Award 2020

More about Asking for a Friend

‘Kate really is a master of friendships … her books are like little pockets of comfort. It’s so nice to just read and feel good for a little while.’

Yasmin Rahman

‘A joyful, heartwarming story about unlikely friendships and the importance of being kind. I loved it.’

Katy Birchall

‘A touching and immensely satisfying story about finding true friendship.’

Sue Wallman

So what’s it about?

Asking for a Friend is a feel-good friendship story following three school friends over the Easter holidays as they confront their fears, including loneliness, fear of illness and social media bullying, in a character-driven story about valuing the friends who value you.

Agnes, Hattie and Jake travel on the school bus together, but don’t know each other well. They plan a week in Weston-super-Mare, as a ‘study break’ before exams, but none of them admit the real reasons they need to get away. Agnes must find her sister. Hattie can’t bear being home now all her friends have ghosted her and Jake is afraid he’s ill and has absolutely no idea how to tell anyone. In one amazing week, they’ll risk their lives, face their fears and find themselves.

Firefly editor Janet Thomas says: ‘We are so excited to have a new book from Kate on the Firefly Press list. Asking for a Friend is a hugely entertaining, character-driven story about how friends can be found in surprising places, and how they can help you face your greatest fears.’

Where can I get my hands on these books?

You can order them from all the usual book buying places (Independent bookshops, Waterstones, Amazon) but you can also order direct from Firefly Press.

Or you can request them at your local library.

Summer of No Regrets Quiz!

Are you like bright, logical Hetal, fiercely loyal Cam, confident Sasha or over-thinking courageous Nell?

Take the quiz to find out!

It’ll only take a couple of minutes and you don’t need to have read Summer of No Regrets first.

Summer of No Regrets Soundbite